Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno and Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Wednesday inspected 26 abandoned containers of imported fresh red onions from China worth an estimated P86.684 million at the Manila International Container Port (MICP), as authorities moved to prevent their release into the local market.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said the shipments contained 72,215 bags of fresh red onions with a manifested gross weight of 650,000 kilograms.

Based on Customs valuation, the shipment has an estimated market value of P86.684 million and carries total duties and taxes amounting to P9.648 million, of which P9.074 million remain unpaid.

The inspection followed a verification conducted by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-MICP, in coordination with the MICP under District Collector Geoffrey De Vera IV, with the Bureau of Plant Industry of the Department of Agriculture.

The Bureau of Plant Industry confirmed that import permits had been issued for the shipment but said the consignee failed to process and release the goods, raising concerns that their quality and integrity may have deteriorated and rendered them unfit for human consumption.

The agency also recommended that the onions should not be released into the local market, noting that their arrival coincides with the peak harvest season and could adversely affect the livelihood of local onion farmers.

Further verification found that the shipments remained unclaimed and unpaid, prompting Customs to issue an abandonment decree under Section 1129 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

"We will continue to act on all reports involving suspicious, unclaimed or abandoned shipments, especially agricultural products that may affect our farmers, consumers and legitimate traders. The BOC remains committed to enforcing the law with transparency and accountability," Nepomuceno said.

The Customs chief said the case goes beyond ordinary smuggling concerns, pointing to possible over-importation and unpaid government revenues exceeding P9 million.

"There are many possible explanations for this. One that we heard is the timing, there may be a lot of onions in the market and the harvest season is approaching. That is why we are thankful to Senator Kiko Pangilinan for focusing on the well-being of our farmers. Every kilo and every peso of onions and other agricultural products, when it is imported, it has an effect on the lives of our farmers," he said.

Pangilinan, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, said the shipment had proper sanitary permits but warned that excessive imports could depress prices and hurt local producers.

The senator noted that onions stored in cold storage facilities can last up to six months, allowing imports that arrived in December to be released during the March-April harvest season.

He also questioned the Department of Agriculture's supply projections and warned that he would withhold support for the agency's proposed budget unless it improves its data and inventory reconciliation system during the upcoming budget deliberations.